Hat scalding and felting machine



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J. S. TAYLOR.

HAT SGALDING AND FELTINGMAOHINE. No. 279,843. Patented June 19,1883.

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J. S. TAYLOR.

HAT SGALDI'NG AND FBLTING MACHINE. No. 279,843. Patented June 19,1883.

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' J. S. TAYLOR. HAT SGALDING AND I 'BLTING MACHINE No. 279,843. PatentedJune 19,1883.

WITNESSES ,JNVEJVTOR UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JAMES S. TAYLOR, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT.

HAT SCALDING AND FELTING MACHINE.

:SEECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 279,843, dated June 19,1883.

I I Application filed September 23, 1889. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES S. TAYLOR, of Danbury, in the county ofFairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hat Sealding and Felting Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates, first, to a machine i1 IO which the hat-bodiesor other articles are felted by being rolled within or upon a concavemoving bed formed by rollers revolving in one direction, and hasreference more specifically to the formation of an open-topped chamber I5 and receptacle by the use of rollers of reduced diameter at theirlongitudinal center, whereby the chamber is given convex sides. Rollersof the general description which may be employed in my present inventionare found in Patent No. 14,121, granted to me January 15, 1856, and inother patents-issued to me and to other parties. The object of theconvex cha1nber open above is to allow of the ready insertion of thegoods without changing the rela tions of any part of the machine, asalso the better action of the rollers in the felting operation. In oneform of the machine aworker or supplemental roller for operating on thegoods is used. The invention further relates to a provision whereby therollers forming the open receiving and working chamber may be twisted ortheir axes brought out of parallel relation with each other, in orderthat the goods may be subjected notonly to the rotary movement impartedby the rollers, but may also be givena longitudinal movement to increasethe effectiveness of the felting operation.

The invention further relates to the construction of the various rollersused in the machine.

The rollers may have ribbed, fluted, corrugated, knuckled, or plainsurfaces. In the machine having its rollers twisted, or on axes notparallel to each other, the rollers are preferably ribbed or fluted inlines parallel to the longitudinal center lines or diagonally thereof.The ribs, flutes, or corrugations are preferably formed by the use withwooden rollers of brass or composition strips united thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1. is

a perspective view, showing the arrangement of three concave rollers,whereby an opentopped receiving and working chamber is formed. Fig. -2shows an arrangement of two rollers with the addition of a concaveworker. 5 5 Fig. 3 shows the same with a convex worker. Fig. at showsthe same with 'a straight, parallel, or cylindrical worker. Fig. 5 showsamachine with three rollers twisted, or with their axes brought out ofparallel relations with each other. Fig. 6 shows the same rollersuntwisted or with their axes brought parallel to each other, as also thetwisting head detached; Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 show modifications in theconstruction of the rollers, as hereinafter speci 6 fied.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The frame of the machine and the vat or kettle for holding hot waterwherewith to sat- 7o mate the goods are not here shown, but are similarin arrangement to that in other 111achines of this class.

I11 my Patent No. 263,075, dated August 22, 1882, is shown a machinehaving certain general features incorporated in the present invention,and it will be referred to hereinafter as aiding in an understandinghereof.

In Fig. 1, C O C are concave rollers, whose axes are parallel to eachother. The construction and arrangement of the rollers cause theformation of an open-topped receiving and working chamber, into whichthe goods may be placed for the action of the rollers. The shape of thechamber is such as to provide a greater width or space at its center,the width or space diminishing toward the ends of the rollers. By thisformation the goods .can be readily placed in and removed by hand fromthe chamber, and the goods are rolled, grasped, or compressed at theirends with greater pressure than at their longitudinal center, wherebythe fibers are more effectually brought together and felted than wherethe pressure is equally distributed throughout the length of the goods.5

In Fig. 2 two rollers O O are shown, together with a concave worker, D.The rollers G C are placed more closely together than the eorresponding'i. 0., the two forward-rollers in Fig. 1. In my said Patent No. 263,075I I0 have described and shown ways in which such a worker may beapplied, and I refer specially to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, in which theworker is shown in yielding or spring bearings. The bearings of theworker may, however, be fixed.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the worker is shown convex and straight, respectively.Its bearings may be either yielding or fixed.

In Figs. 5 and 6 the three concave rollers C O C have their bearings atone end in a circular head, E, having slots (1., segmental in form,through which screws or pins pass, entering the frame. The slots beingconcentric with the head E, the latter may be moved radially on theframe, on which it is centered and secured by tightening the screws orpins. The gearing which causes the revolution of the series of rollers,not being changed in its relations by the radial movement given to thehead, operates to rotate the rollers in a common direction whether theaxes of the same are brought to parallel or diagonal lines with respectto each other. The gearing ends of the rollers are provided with linksor universal joints, substantially in the manner described in my PatentNo. 14,121, dated January 15, 1856.

The operation of the machine illustrated in Fig. 5 not only admits ofthe ready and convenicnt insertion and manipulation of the goods and theeffective felting of the same by increased pressure at the ends, whichcrowds the fibers together, but also enhances the character of the workperformed by the longitudinal movement necessarily imparted to the goodsby the twisting action of the ribbed or fluted rollers. It is .to beunderstood that the rollers may be fixed in their diagonal poistions orbrought alternately into diagonal and parallel relations by giving aforward and backward radial movement to the circular head E. Such amovement may be given by hand or by mechanism prepared for the purpose;but which, not specially entering into my present invention, I deem itunnecessary to describe with particularity. The rollers may be variouslyarranged with reference to the vat, so thatthe goods during theoperation of felting may be partially submerged or entirely above thesurface of the hot water. Should one end of the rollers be low enough inthe vat to submerge the goods at that end, the other end of the rollers,or that opposite to the end at which the circular head E is placed, maybe elevated, so that the goods, when discharged from the rollers, bybeing moved longitudinally, shall be out of contact with the water andin a measure dried.

Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 show modified constructions applicable to all therollers (including the worker) of the machine. Fig. 7 shows a concavewooden roller with brass or composition strips attached thereto in anysuitable manner in diagonal lines or out of line longitudinally with theaxis of the roller. The amount of angularity or divergence from thelongitudinal line should not be great, but maybe somewhat varied. Fig. 8shows a similar construction, except that the strips are arranged in resverse order. Fig. 9 shows the diagonal strips used with a convex, andFig. 10 with a straight, parallel, or cylindrical roller. The construction of rollers shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 is also applicable to themachines in which the axes of the rollers are parallel, and may beapplied to different forms of machine described in a former patent. Inthat patent, while the rollers in their various relations -may bestraight, concave, convex, plain, fluted,

corrugated, or of other shape or character of surface, they aredescribed as being used in connection with devices as a worker,cam-shaped roller, &c., for imparting a fulling or a punching or aretarding action to the goods, or as providing eccentrically revolvingsurfaces between which the goods are operated. In that patent the use ofrollers of the description named without the addition of the working orpunching or retarding appliances is not contemplated, as neither is theuse of rollers having ribs, flutes, or corrugations, arranged in linesdiagonal to the axis of the roller; neither in my said patent is theworker described as concave or convex, a cylindrical worker being onlyreferred to and shown, whose working -face, however, may be plain,,fluted, corrugated, or of a shape and character corresponding with thatof the main rollers. I therefore disclaim as a part of my presentinvention a cylindrical worker when used in combination with the mainrollers.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. The combination, in a hatscalding and felting machine, 'of a series of concave rollers onparallel axes, whereby a convex workingehamber is formed withoutchanging the relative relations of the rollers in the act of felting thegoods, substantially as and for the-1311] felting machine, of a seriesof concave rollers on parallel axes and a supplemental concawe roller orworker, whereby the goods may be entered and worked without changing therela tive positions of the rollers and worker, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

4. The combination, in a hat scalding and felting machine, of a seriesof concave rollers and a supplemental convex roller or worker, wherebythe goods may be enteredand worked without changing the relativepositions of the rollers and worker, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

5. The combination, in a hat scalding and felting machine, of a seriesof rollers on parallel axes having unvarying relations relatively toeach other, said rollers being provided with diagonally-ribbed, fluted,or corrugatedfaces,

IIO

whereby an open working-chamber is formed,

6. I11 a hat scalding and felting machine, a series of rollersonparallel axes and provided with diagonally ribbed, fluted, or corrugatedsurfaces, combined with a supplemental roller or worker, the axes of therollers having unvarying relations to each other, and the axis of theworker being also fixed, or in automatically-yielding spring bearings,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination, in a hat scalding and felting machine, of a seriesof concave rollers having ribbed, fluted, or corrugated surfaces, saidrollers being 011 axes placed out of parallel relations with respect toeach other and forming a convex open chamber within which the goods areplaced, rotated, compressed, and given longitudinal movement,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a hat scalding and felting machine, a series of concave rollers onparallel axes having unvarying relations relatively to each other,whereby a convex open receiving and working chamber is formed, combinedwith a vat for holding hot water, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

9. In a hat scalding and felting machine, a series of concave rollers onparallel axes and a supplemental concave roll'er or worker, the axes ofthe rollers having unvarying relations to each other, and the axis ofthe worker being also fixed, or in automatically-yieldingspring-bearings, combined with a vat for holding hot water,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

10. In a hat scalding and felting machine, a series of concave rollers011 parallel axes and a supplemental convex roller or worker, the axesof the rollers having unvarying relations to each other, and the axis ofthe worker being also fixed, or in automaticallyyielding springbearings,combined with a vat for holding hot water, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

11. In a hat scalding and felting machine, a series of concave rollersforming a convex open receiving and working chamber, combined withgearing and a circular head capable of limited rotation and supportingone end of the axis of each roller, whereby the rollers may be partiallyrevolved in a common direction or twisted or given radial movement as aseries, substantially as and for' the purposes set forth.

12. As an element in a hat scalding and felting machine, a wooden rollerhaving diagonal brass or composition strips combined therewith,substantially as herein described, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I'have hereunto set my hand and seal this 14th dayof August, 1882.

JAMES S. TAYLOR.

WVit-nesses E. M. BULKLEY F. T. HOYI.

